Freel Suicide: CTE Can Impact Baseball Players, Too

Ryan Freel reportedly suffered "nine or 10" concussions in his eight-year career in the majors.

Former major league baseball utility player Ryan Freel had a degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) when he committed suicide last year, his family announced, the Florida Times-Union reported.

The report was done by the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy and Sports Legacy Institute. The iindings were given to Freel's family and to representatives of Major League Baseball.

The report coniirmed that Freel was suffering from Stage II CTE when he committed suicide on Dec. 22, 2012, by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Freel retired in 2010 after an eight-year career in the majors. He reportedly suffered "nine or 10" concussions in his career.

In recent years, CTE has been associated with former football players who sustained repeated head injuries in their careers. Freel is the iirst baseball player to be diagnosed with CTE.

Diamondbacks: Arizona acquired closer Addison Reed from the White Sox for minor-league third baseman Matt Davidson. The 24-year-old right-hander was seventh in the majors with 40 saves last season and iinished 5-4 with a 3.79 ERA in 68 appearances. Davidson, 22 and a former iirst-rounder who has been ranked among Baseball America's top 100 prospects, played at Triple-A Reno last season, where he hit .280 with 32 doubles, 17 homers and 74 RBIs.

Indians: Free agent John Axford, who had 46 saves for Milwaukee in 2011, agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million deal.

Cardinals: Free-agent second baseman Mark Ellis agreed to a one-year, $5.25 million contract. Ellis, 36, hit .270 with six home runs and 48 RBIs for the Dodgers in 2013.

Rockies: Boone Logan completed his $16.5 million, three-year deal. The left-handed reliever was 5-2 with a 3.23 ERA in 2013 with the Yankees.

Braves: Free agent right-hander Gavin Floyd agreed on a one-year contract worth $4 million. Floyd, 30, will be returning from Tommy John surgery and is not expected to be ready until May.

Astros: Free-agent reliever Matt Albers signed a one-year, $2.45 million contract. Albers had a 3.14 ERA in 63 innings for the Indians in 2013.

Twins: Right-hander Mike Pelfrey agreed on an $11 million, two-year contract. Pelfrey went 5-13 last season with a 5.19 ERA for the Twins.

Cubs: Left-hander Wesley Wright agreed to a one-year contract worth $1.4 million. Wright, a reliever who turns 29 on Jan. 28, was 0-4 with a 3.69 ERA in 70 games last season for Houston and Tampa Bay.